I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video editing. In particular, the present invention relates to object movement in a display device.
II. Related Art
Editing is generally the art of making subtle adjustments to a material or materials in a form that communicates a message to be conveyed with maximum impact. In the area of video editing, the editor defines and shapes images and/or audio until the message to be delivered is accomplished. Generally, video editing may be divided into two categories: linear video editing and non-linear video editing. In linear video editing, the images are taken in a sequential order. Stated differently, one idea after another must be previously conceived and then, the videos are taken in the conceived chronological sequence. For example, suppose a videotape is to be taken of an office, the editor must first conceptualize as to what the scenes would be and in which sequence. The editor may want to take a video of an entry into the Office. This scene perhaps followed by a focus on a pot plant in a corner. The scene may then move to the various articles on a desk and then, the scene shifting its focus to a window. In linear video editing, these are the precise sequences that the video must be taken.
By contrast, in non-linear video editing, scenes may be taken in any order and later edited according to a desired sequence. Whether linear video editing or non-linear video editing approach is to be taken generally depends on the video system that is to be used. While non-linear video editing system may be more complicated, the advantage is that images may be taken in any sequence and later, through careful observation of the images and a thoughtful process, the images may be manipulated to communicate the message in the manner the editor wishes to convey with maximum impact. Due to its free format, the editor can readily impute creativity without being constrained physically.
With the advancement of computer technology, further improvements have been made to the video editing system through a process called digitization. In particular, digitization of images have had a profound impact on non-linear video editing system. Previously, copies of a film containing the images would be made. By cutting and splicing the copies, an edited version of the original film is made. If the editor was not satisfied, further copies of the original film were made and the cutting and splicing would resume until a desired product was obtained. In a digital video editing system, images are stored in an electronic medium such as magnetic discs or laser discs thereby allowing the images to be retrieved randomly and displayed on a display device such as a monitor. This alleviates the burdensome technique of cutting and splicing. Further, in random access, each image operates independently, thus, it is possible to retrieve particular images without sequentially going through other materials to reach those images. Examples of sequential access would be films or magnetic tapes. By allowing images to be accessed randomly, images may be easily manipulated into any desired sequence which is the heart of a non-linear editing system.
In many instances of video editing, messages can be enhanced by using special effects. For example, a digital video system may allow a sequence of images or a still image in a frame that occupies a portion of a display to move within a display. Another example of special effects may be the zooming in and out of images. These digital video effects previously required sophisticated processing and thus, were handled at offsite laboratories. However, with the advent of powerful processors, special effects may be easily performed within the video editing system itself. As digital editing systems become more and more sophisticated, more capabilities and functions are incorporated within the systems. This in turn equates to more and more complicated digital processing techniques becoming available to the editor. However, if a special effect requires too much effort on the part of the editor to use the feature, too much effort is put into creating the feature rather than editing the feature. Generally, this causes the editor to become inefficient in editing the images. More likely, the editor will not use those special effects which are burdensome.
Accordingly, it is desirable to make a video editing system that is easy to use and does not burden the editor. One method to achieve this is the graphic user interface (GUI). An excellent GUI may be one that is intuitive and arranged in such a manner that is easily comprehensible by visually looking at the screen. Stated differently, the editor, by looking at the screen should know how the feature operates rather than referring to a manual every time a feature is to be used. Turning back to a special effect feature described above, in a video editing system, having sequence of images or still image that occupies a portion of the screen to move within a display device is a desirable feature that an editor may want to use to emphasize a message, for example. To go one step further, the sequence of images or still image may be moving along a path within another sequence of images or still image. The movement may be further enhanced by controlling the velocity in which the sequence of images or still image is moving across the display.
In one method, a window corresponding to the path of the moving sequence of images or still image is opened and provides a feature to control the velocity along the path. The feature is in a form of a velocity graph from which the editor calculates the various velocities along the path. In using the velocity graph, because the editor has to calculate the various velocities, it is rather complicated and may deter the editor from using the feature. Further, the editor may have to search the display to find an icon that opens the velocity graph window. Generally, when the editor is editing a sequence of images on the display, the editor may have opened several windows to edit the images. By opening the velocity graph window, the editor may have to shrink the window with a work product to accommodate the velocity graph window. By shrinking the work product window, the editor may not clearly observe what is occurring in the work product window thereby producing an undesirable work product. Therefore, it is desirable to allow the editor to manipulate the velocity of a moving sequence of images or a still image with ease and without cluttering the display of the video editing system.